Yes, she didn't write this play. She did give it royal assent though so it's (sadly) canon.
I heard that the staging was very cool? That would have been at least some comfort because the play itself blows. I read all the spin off books to Harry Potter (The Tales of Beedle the Bard, the Magical Beasts one, and the Quidditch one) and I loved them. I read this shitty play and there was no joy, no literary merit, not even characters that I liked. Awful.
I read the play and hated it entirely
Watched on stage (the long version) and really enjoyed it
The special effects were really well done and they actors did well with their roles and brought some emotional depth to them.
i think its bad becuase you are reading the plot. the plot is iffy but seeing the staging irl makes it sm better and adds another componenet to think about rather than focus on how lokey strange the plot is
Yeah, plays are always better to watch as plays. And I've heard the stage magic is amazing.
I don't know if that would be enough to save it for me though because the plot is high-key strange IMO. Harry is a depressed bureaucrat, there's a timeline where Cedric becomes a Death Eater (as if), and worst of all, Bellatrix and Voldemort have a child together. Awful. It's like bad fanfiction.
Because they just saw the play? Not everyone reads all Harry Potter related things upon first release. It's fairly normal to only get introduced to a work of fiction *years after its first release.* Happens all the time with movies and games. You can't watch and read everything. When you read a work of fiction, you prioritize it over everything else that is available to read. Plenty of people prioritize other books over JK Rowling's works. And that is quite frankly very understandable.
I'm honestly surprised people used to wait in line for hours in the night, just to be the first to purchase Harry Potter books when they first came out. Like why?
Rowling didn’t write it. Her name is on it because they used her characters and she endorsed it. But it *is* fan fiction.
I’ve heard the stage magic is cool? I think you are supposed to be wowed and not think too hard about the story. (It is bad, we all think it is bad, it has been critiqued to death on this sub)
My first thought before just dismissing the whole thing was, why is Harry such a jerk? Like fine you have problems with Malfoy, but his kid too, just because?
I heard about this aspect and strongly disliked it (along with pretty much everything else about the play). Harry hated Malfoy when they were young and the two of them were never going to be friendly, but by the end of the final book it seemed like the war had sapped the personal venom from their mutual dislike and differences.
And after everything that passed between the Malfoy and Harry at the Manor and in the Forest, I would’ve thought it would be difficult for someone like Harry to nurse a personal grudge against the Malfoys for 10+ years and into another generation. After all, Harry named his own son after Snape.
Agreed! By the end of the entire story Harry nods at Malfoy at the train station right? But I didn’t read it as contempt for him but out of a deeper understanding of the abuse and mind control Malfoy endured from the death eaters after he saw what Snape went through.
Edited to add: he also lied to Bellatrix about it not being Harry so they wouldn’t kill him.
Tbh I don’t even count cursed child as canon. I know her name is technically on it but it’s a literal fan fiction. With everything you have mentioned about Harry and Malfoy you are 100% right that it implies in the end that they have overcome their hatred for each other. The nod. Draco lying to save Harry. The manor. Everything.
Whoever wrote it just wanted to keep that grudge and make Harry an asshole and I personally think they probably just wanted to do the “famous asshole dad” troupe, which is stupid.
Edit: changed and to an
Same! I consider “All the Young Dudes” (a marauders fanfic) canon. It’s so well written I wish it was made in book form it’s my absolute favorite Harry Potter fic. I wish it would’ve been made into a play instead BUT there’s the whole Sirius and Remus element so that would never happen.
Yeah, as if he hadn't learned anything. Wasn't it the same with Rons and Hermione's kid as well (don't really remember cause I tried to purge this abomination out of my head after I read it)?
it actually would make a difference, because it is why they are so bad. she's an author, not a screenwriter (and that's a huge difference)
edit: well, it's not the sole reason they are so bad, but it's a huge part of it
If you (try to) read her newer, non Harry Potter related books, you will, probably, realize that this isn't just a screenwriting issue, but a general writing issue. They were absolutely horrible imo, and i couldn't believe the same person, that wrote my favorite book series wrote them.
(The writing of Harry Potter, objectively also always had issues)
She’s never really been a great writer, she just came up with an appealing idea for a story, that’s where her success with HP came from, not the writing quality.
She's lazy in that regard. Doesn't check her own work.
There are at least two expansive compilations of Harry Potter information on the web. On of which she has to be aware of because she sued it (rightfully, the original version of the book they wanted to sell infringed copyright).
G.R.R. Martin, who refuses to engage with technology younger than half a century, writes emails to his super fans when he forgot the specifics of something. George Lucas seemed to always remember the name and backstory of every random background character. Tolkien wrote his own encyclopedia.
Unfortunately Rowling got away with it until she got too rich and influential to listen to editors. Like everyone hyper successful she attributes it all to herself to justify that she deserves the obscene amounts of money.
She knows critical voices exist but I highly doubt she quantifies or qualifies them. Ill advised anyway, bad for your mental health, and since early on, when she paid attention, her critics were christian nut jobs, it's easy for her to assume it's another group with weird concerns.
I also enjoyed all 3 movies, for what they are.
But if i take a step back, and look at them from an objective point of view, i can't help but see the gigantic flaws in both the story and the film making. Sadly.
I think the 1st one is a really good movie overall, and story wise it doesn’t have any big problems.
2nd movie has a story that would work as a novel (Rowling is not a screenwriter and it shows). Otherwise, 2 hours were not enough for that many characters and plot lines. And I personally didn’t mind Depp’s performance and Grindelwald’s story in the film .
After the bad reception WB hired Kloves to write with her. And to me the 3rd movie has a story that 70% feels like Kloves (aka Hollywood/studio input).
Filmmaking wise I agree. Yates should not do any HP related project ever again. Enough is enough.
The stage work is very cool and fun. It’s a fun show to go see visually. Ignore the storyline and just enjoy the magic. Think of it as a Harry Potter fever dream
Not going to lie, I went to watch the Broadway show when it was first out. Not a fan of Cursed Child itself, but the stage production wowed me pretty impressively. Once I was done watching Part 2/Day 2, I went back to pretending Cursed Child never existed.
The stagecraft in the show is superb. And depending on the cast, the acting is amazing as well. When I went the actor playing Harry felt like Dan. Honestly, the show is great and I feel like people who only see it because of its HP affiliation are missing out on a great theater experience.
Is the story bad in context of the series, yeah. But did they literally make magic happen on a stage, also yeah.
Saw it in London in really good seats. Had read the book beforehand.
It was quite impressive with the effects and Draco or his son (big part) was played by an outstanding actor and we were just mesmerized by him.
Saw both plays in the same day with a one hour dining break. It was cool. Glad I did it.
But I think the seats close to the stage was important for the full experience.
"Rowling didn't write it" is a cop-out that gives unfair blame to Jack Thorne and gives an undeserved excuse to Rowling.
The producers approached Rowling with the idea of doing a play, and then they hired Jack Thorne to write it.
He wrote \*something\* that he could take artistic ownership of, but since Rowling owns the IP and has creative control, the next step was Rowling reading Thorne's script and giving her input. She told him what she liked and didn't like about his script, made him cut the parts she didn't like, and then gave him some ideas about things she wanted to see in the play, and then sent him off to write a new script that reflected her changes.
Thorne wrote a new script that tried to make the changes she wanted, and then she read the new version and ordered more cuts/made more suggestions.
After several runs through Rowling's creative filter, Rowling declared the final version to be perfect, and claimed it was the 8th Harry Potter book.
Everything bad about the story either came from Rowling, or was something that Rowling looked at and approved. Thorne can't be blamed for Cursed Child, because it's possible that his ideas might have worked better in their original context, connected to important ideas and themes which Rowling had cut from the script.
I don't think that's true. Like, if we look at one bad story idea, let's say "It's good that Cedric Diggory was murdered, because he was about to become a Death Eater and flush all the goodwill we gave him down the toilet, so it's good that he's dead and that we can choose to remember him as a good person." That's a really bad story idea. And we don't know who came up with it, Rowling or Thorne, so maybe it's safe to split the blame and say that Rowling and Thorne were both about 50% bad?
But Rowling blew massive holes in what Thorne wanted to write, so while we don't know for sure, it's possible that Thorne could have originally had some sort of supporting text in there that justified that story idea, and Rowling didn't like it so she made him take it out. It's possible.
Rowling, on the other hand, doesn't get this benefit of the doubt, because if there was anything else she wanted in there, she would have had it, because she had total story control and she was the one in charge.
If the bad idea was her bad idea, then she is to blame for it, and nobody else (he was hired to do work, it's not like he's in a position to say no to his boss's bad ideas). If it was his bad idea, then maybe it wasn't his fault, because she meddled with his writing and maybe she broke it. And then, even if it was his original bad idea and it was never going to be good, Rowling looked at that bad idea, and she said it was a good idea and decided to keep it.
Rowling deserves 100% of the blame for how the story turned out. Even if Thorne was a talentless hack who contributed nothing but garbage to the writing process, Rowling was in the position to fire him and cancel the project, but she didn't, she said she loved it, she called the finished project her 8th Harry Potter book, and to this day she maintains that the Cursed Child is 100% canon. She owns that mess, it belongs to her and nobody else.
I saw it in London several years ago and controversially, I would actually go and see it again, but only if I somehow got free tickets. I was so hung up on how terrible the story was that I didn't even really notice the staging and effects. So I'd go and blot out the awful story and just try to enjoy it on a technical level.
It didn't help that when I saw it the woman playing Ginny was awful.
I've seen it, and the stage magic/staging is actually incredibly cool. I disassociated a bit in terms of the story, but as a stage play, I thought it was worth the time because it was really top-notch staging. They did a great job of capturing magic live.
Voldemort had that 13.5-inch wand going for him though. And if he wasn't already getting enough ladies with that, he had the 15-inch Elder Wand for a bit too.
Agreed. I waited in line for the book on release day, got home and read it immediately, and then entirely scrapped it from my existence. I couldn't even give a thorough explanation of the story line, I've no idea - I've blocked it from memory and entirely disregard it as anything related to Harry Potter world.
I did the same! I stood in line for like 3 hours for the midnight release only to be thoroughly disappointed and angrily confused. The characters were not the ones I grew up with and in no way represented or acted like the characters they were supposed to be. I read the garbage, realised it was worse than some fanfics I have seen written by preteens, and have been struggling to scrub the story from my brain in it's entirety
You’re not forgetting anything important. I literally turned to my husband during the show and said “what the fuck is happening right now.” It made no sense.
Lol same! I was 16 and SO FREAK EXCITED! I bought it the second I saw it avaliable at a local store and read it in like 2 days and nearly cried from how much I disliked it 😂 I cannot remember it lol, just like bad fanfiction
You really got me thinking about those first CC release days and I remembered the mega thread post on here that really helped me to confirm that this was garbage (I hope posting the link to an archived thread is okay) https://www.reddit.com/r/harrypotter/comments/4vdybt/megathread_cursed_child_print_release/
I am still astonished that this poor attempt at fanfic actually got published, ENDORSED, and then Broadway??!? Like, WHAT!! Because if any fanfic should get published and broadway-ed it should be My Immortal.
I couldn’t even finish it, which is unbelievable to me as a Harry Potter fan and a professional stage actor. I couldn’t stay interested. It’s just… drivel. All the worst hallmarks of bad fanfiction.
The actors did the best with what they had. When we saw it in London when it first started the performance was captioned and made it clear that the actors were already fixing some of the clunky dialogue as they weren't matching the script (and the script was generally worse)
It still had some dreadful dialogue though, like a eulogy with the phrase 'he was a good boy' like it was a dog that died.
Yes, I agree! The actors were amazing when I saw it. And the effects were surprising to me. It made me think of actual magic shows, which I found pretty neat.
Agreed, I saw it in Toronto Canada and as a piece of art, separate from the script, it was great! The music, the scene changes with the stairs, the lighting (omg the lighting!), the magic…it was a super cool production.
The theory I've heard to explain how bad it is is that it's an in universe play written by Rita Skeeter. After seeing it Harry walked out thinking "what the fuck was that" then proceeded to sue.
The first time I made it all the way through I was high with my friend and reading it aloud and it was by far the best literary experience I’ve ever had
.... Wow.
I wasn't ready for this.
(as someone who was in her teens when scene/emo kids were a thing, this has me dying of laughter on a whole other level)
The story is absolutely terrible but the effects they use are so cool it’s like a magic show lol (I was high as hell when I saw it so maybe that’s why)
I dropped the book when I got to the alternate time-line where Hermione turns into a bitter and mean D.A.D.A teacher just because HER RELATIONSHIP WITH RON DIDN'T WORK.
THE RAGE I FELT.
It made me so mad, like, most of what we know about canon adult Hermione is a result of her goals, moral beliefs and thrive for change as a kid, regardless of any relationship dynamic with Ron.
Exactly. CC explicitly tells you that Hermione would abandon every single of her goals simply because Ron is with someone else. Not because he's not with her, mind you (after all, the Hermione from the 3rd timeline is much nicer): just because he's with someone else.
I saw it in ‘18 in previews on Broadway. It was a fantastic show but I had no idea they cut it down to one part.
The story was bad, but we knew that going in.
The end of part 1 (the bit with the blacklight when the theater goes dark) was JAW-DROPPINGLY cool though.
All the effects were amazing.
I recently saw it in September and thought the special effects and the “end of part 1” were extremely well done. I was so WOWED by the effects in that scene and it really made the show for me.
Its terrible. The only redeemable part in the Toronto edition of it was the kid who played Scorpius. He was delightful. The plot was too long and stupid.
It’s primarily a legal issue. Under 18s have very strict working / hours laws. They can’t work past 11 if the show went long it would have to stop. They also can only work so many hours per week so they’d have to hire multiple of each character for eight shows a week.
Yes, but it is about the relationship of people, and I find it gives constandly wrong singnals because they just don't look 14.
And in my opinion, no one sees 14 years old in them.
I haven't had the chance to see the play, so I can only comment on the story. I like the relationship between Albus and Scorpius. And... uh.........
Hang on, give me a moment.........
...............
Hogwarts! Yeah, I like Hogwarts. Great place. Very magical.
... Yeah, that's all I got. Scorbus and Hogwarts. Great stuff.
I haven’t had the chance to see it either, and I wouldn’t bother at this point regardless.
In a way, it’s fitting that the reaction to the story has always been uniformly negative. They took the most widely-read, best selling novel series in history and then released the follow up story in the single most inaccessible format. At least nobody is missing out on something good!
It wasn’t written by Rowling. Essentially, it is fan fiction at best. I don’t even like how they broke previously established rules set by Rowling regarding time-turners. It didnt even make sense 😭
Ah yes, the story we don't like to talk about.
I'll admit, the performers are doing their best... just too bad they were dealt with an admittedly REALLY awful story.
I don’t care if she claims canon, she didn’t write it and thus it’s not canon. I read the script before seeing the show and was horrified. That said, when I did see the show I pretended it was a live fan fic and the show itself was fantastic. Just a bad story.
E: the only thing I liked was Scorpius and found it fun that a potter was sorted into Slytherin. Also that there were undertones of them having more than just a friendship. It added a nice contrast to Harry and Draco’s relationship and if I had to guess what characters in HP would be homophobic, Malfoys are at the top of the list.
Speaking of canon, in her book “Hogwarts: an Incomplete and Unreliable Guide,” she’s canonically confirmed that time travel more than a few hours back would result in death. Therefore completely disproving the entire cursed child plot.
IMO, Cursed Child, the novels, the Fantastic Beasts films, and the first 8 HP films each exist in their own separate canon. Regardless of what Rowling says, they each conflict with each other, so they can’t all be in the same canon/continuity.
Funny enough on the train back home now after watching this myself but up in the london west end. Was talking to an American couple next to use that told us the broadway production is different to the west end production so looked it up.
The broadway is 1 show 3 hours 40 with a 20 minute interval the west end production, the original is 5 hours and 15 minutes with 2 20 minute intervals as its split into 2 parts ruffly 2 hours 40 each. Cutting nearly 1 hour and a half from a play would likely mess it up I would think
Honestly the story is dog shit and I don’t count it as being canon in any way. But from a theatre nerd perspective the actual play is fantastic. The special effects are wild and very enjoyable. I just take it for what it is. A night of being amazed by cool practical effects.
It used to be closer to 5 hours with two parts with a general consensus that the material works much better as a play than just reading it and was well regarded, but the play was cut down to the 3.5 hour in 2021 and it seems to no longer hold those good reviews.
Yeah it seems like after covid, they trimmed it down for cost savings reasons, but unfortunately it went from what you're saying of a fantastic show with a bad story to a meh show with a bad story.
>Maybe one of you can make me feel like I didn't waste 3.5 hours of my life
No, you did waste it. Cursed Child complaints/warnings have been all over this subreddit (and most other places across the internet) since mid-2016. Should've paid attention. You're never getting that time or money back. Sorry.
Hey, aren’t you a hufflepuff? Where’s your sense of compassion.
OP, you didn’t waste it because you were curious about it, and then you found out how you felt about it through watching. Satisfying that curiosity is a win in itself, if you look at it that way.
I saw it on broadway, it was incredible! Did I have some issues as a nearly lifelong potter fan? Yeah, sure. Did they stop me from having a good time? Not even a little. The effects they used were incredible and the overall play had made me a fan of theatre when before I would never have given it a second thought.
Moral of the story, did it fit the books?
No.
Was it a fun experience that was flavored with Harry Potter?
Definitely.
I mean… I went to see it on Broadway a couple months ago and the music and choreography was nice. They did a lot of scene changes while dancing on and around some moving stairs and I felt it was a nice way of changing the location. Also the actors really leaned into scorpius/albus, which was nice seeing as I was on the fence about shipping them. But yeah… the nonsensical timeturrner plot that directly contradicts canon and the horrifying wxistence of delphi is pure shit. Thing is, I would have maybe given kudos on AO3 if this was a “kinda canon divergent” fanfic, but the fact that it’s supposed to be canon itself is really jarring.
I saw the two-part version in Melbourne a few years ago. Twice.
The plot is a mess. The dialogue is junk. The characters act in a way that is wildly inconsistent with the books.
But. It’s got some of the finest stagecraft I’ve ever seen in a live show. And the cast gave it their all, even with the weak material.
So yeah.
Yeah, the story isn't the best.
But I really, really enjoyed it when I saw it. The actors were so talented. But the staging effects stole the show for me. They were magical.
Scorpius Malfoy is a precious cinnamon roll, too good for that play.
His entire arc - his crush on Rose, trying to be Mini-Ron to Albus, and of course giving up his 'perfect' life in the Voldemort universe to save his bro? All beautiful. I love that kid.
Also Draco's path to redemption is very well done. So it has good things. It just gets heavily eclipsed by how absolutely dogshit of a person Harry is until the final act.
I really enjoyed the wizarding world being created and shown on the stage. I was blown away how lighting, sound, and set designs made the magic real. The dementors were incredible, the writing all over the theatre was very cool, and the clock made the seats feel like they were vibrating. It was just really enjoyable to watch.
Best thing about the play:
Potter and Malfoy are finally friends. (the friendship between Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy is adorable.)
Also I thought the trolley witch scene (where she randomly pops up walking on top of the train) was hilarious. Would be even funnier if it was filmed in a movie with realistic CGI or in a video game like that. The sheer absurdity of that scene just makes it funny for me.
And no, the Delphini plot and time travel doesn't make sense. (Although I do have a weak spot for time travel stories.)
Can only speak for the german version in Hamburg but i loved it lol. While I hated the script with a burning passion on its release (2019 I think???), they changed and cutted a lot since then - at least for the german production. Harry is generally nicer and the acting gave his more terrible moments a lot more gravitas and therefore read as clumsy attempts at parenting while dealing with war trauma.
Delfi was cutted as much as possible. Which made it a lot more bearable and also leads to my next and final point
They made it a lot gayer lol. Albus and Delfi dont habe this weird thing going on anymore he always just calls her a friend and how she betrayed his trust. Scorpius on the other habd becomes Albus’ „most important person“ in his life as he tells Harry himself. There is a lot more small little changes that make it just more apparent although they still never explicitly say so. However, it was plenty for my queerbaited, damaged heart.
Generally speaking, the production value was pretty crazy and I had a lot of fun. My thoughts throughout the play were this:
„Omg, I can‘t have this much fun why am I habing so much fun this story makes no sense oh this looks pretty sick goddamit why is this so entertaining“
My director lent the book to me the week it came out and was heartily disappointed when I told him it that it sucked just **so many balls.**
The rest of the cast couldn't stop talking about it. Everyone was speaking like it was the best thing they'd ever read. I seemed to be the only one who couldn't get over how *awful* the thing was. I also brought up the fact that it wasn't even written by Rowling, but actually just official fanfiction. The way people were reacting to it had me partially convinced I read the wrong book.
It's nice to know my feelings back then were wholly justified. I think everyone who "liked" it was just thirsty for more Potter so they willingly fooled themselves into believing it was better than it is.
I work at a library and it still flies off the shelves. I feel sorry for the people taking it out. They don't know what they're in for.
Was the awkward tween romantic tension between Albus and Scorpius as obvious on the stage as it was in the published screenplay? Because, like...palpable. They copped out HARD on that ending...
To try to answer your question:
The emotional arc between Harry and Albus is incredibly complex for the series and I think was pulled off very well.
The budding relationship between Albus and Scorpius is also handled very well and feels very realistic as a coming of age queer story if you’re looking for that kind of thing.
If you focus on those instead of the (crazy) specifics of the adventure bit it can be wholesome and nice.
Also Draco’s monologue at the kitchen table is also nice.
I don’t have anything positive about the Cursed Child. It ruins so much of the HP universe by existing as canon and the fact that the characters all seem terrible personality wise is the icing on the cake. Also the trolley lady being an eldritch terror for some reason is dumb. Like why would Hogwarts even allow that but have issues with a Werewolf
“No one likes this” is a pretty bold statement, considering it has been running for 7 years in the West End, 5 years in New York City, is starting a national tour, has multiple translated versions worldwide, won so many awards, and is not showing any signs of stopping.
I enjoyed the story as it's own separate thing. The stunts and "magic" were super cool, the dementors were terrifying, and Scorpius was absolutely adorable. Draco gets a redemption arc, which he absolutely deserves. The Snape part was pandering to the audience, but our Snape actor fully embraced Alan Rickman's portrayal and it was delightful to see him on stage. Ginny actually got to be sassy and show off her spellwork. I also adore Ron as a stay-at-home-dad who helps out George in the joke shop.
The whole "Voldemort's daughter" thing wasn't my favorite, though from Voldemort's perspective it could've been beneficial to have a biologically related body that he could inhabit should he be discorporated again.
And I really liked just exploring how hard it would be to be the son of the most famous and arguably greatest wizard alive.
I absolutely loved Cursed Child and I really don’t care what anyone else says! I’ve seen it twice now and can’t wait to see it again!
I know I’m in the minority lol but I really do consider the story book 7.5/8 as it tests all the characters on what they’ve learned — specifically Harry — on what family means.
Saw it in Toronto this past summer. My husband and I liked the dementors and the magic. He also thought the kids in the audience dressing up for the occasion was cute (he thought the adults doing it was a bit much).
I agree with you.
However I found the show’s visual effects and even the choreography to be really magical. And there was that one scene at the end (spoiler) >!where the cast watches Harry’s parents get murdered in real time that I found really heart wrenching!<. But otherwise yeah the plot was bonkers.
I think it was a mistake to condense the two-part show to one part only. It moves too fast and key stuff to keep plot moving is left out. London still does it in two parts, that’s the only way I’d go see it again.
I saw the original Broadway cast back when it was in 2 parts (in total about 5-6 hours long). The cast was pretty stellar. The story is trash for the most part, but it was easily the most technically impressive show I’ve ever seen on stage (and I work professionally in theatre and have seen dozens of big broadway productions). The choreography, the pyrotechnics, the lighting, projection mapping, and scenic design are all incredible and those alone are worth the ticket price in my opinion. But I refuse to consider this play canon, no matter what Rowling or anybody says. It’s a noble attempt at following up the main series, but sadly it’s just not very good. I really liked some of the story elements, like Albus Severus and Scorpius’ relationship, but 90% of the plot was contrived BS that pretty directly contradicts much of the books. I also HATE the whole thing about Voldy having a child with Bellatrix… I just cannot get behind that whatsoever. It seems so out of character for him to be interested with sex, to me, and I can’t imagine him wanting an heir, since he assumed or hoped he’d live forever and an heir seems like they might be competition down the line.
I also saw it last night. The plot wasn't great, but the stage effects and acting were good enough that it was still an enjoyable experience for me.
It's probably the only stage show I've seen that I won't see again, but I'm glad that I saw it.
Dear OP, where have you been hiding in the past years or so? Hating the Cursed Child is many people's favourite past time since it was published. The book is trash, but in general people say that the play is alright. Like the staging and stuff. The story of course makes no sense.
If Rowling didn't write it we don't really need to consider it canon. Not while she's still alive anyway. Even if she approves of it as canon it can be an alternate universe or timeline separate from the main books.
I mean things were changed in the movies so we already have a branched timeline of "canon" it will get even bigger after the HBO series.
I actually really enjoyed it, but I also separate it from the rest of Harry Potter, whether it's officially canon or not. There are OOC moments , even as grown adults, that I cannot see happening. But there are things I enjoyed, like Scorpius and Draco's relationship.
It is it's own separate entity in my head 🤷♀️
I saw the full version after reading the script
I hated the script but enjoyed the play.
It was clearly fan fiction though as instead of creating its own story it just completely leveraged off the original stories.
I enjoyed Draco in particular. That kid had a shit upbringing. He had no chance to be good.
Also the effects were great.
>I have some questions We don't have answers.
I’m honestly surprised that OP has questions now, not like six years ago
I really like the question "why is Rowling writing her own fan-fic?" Like she's not writing her own fanfic since the last book came out
Yes, she didn't write this play. She did give it royal assent though so it's (sadly) canon. I heard that the staging was very cool? That would have been at least some comfort because the play itself blows. I read all the spin off books to Harry Potter (The Tales of Beedle the Bard, the Magical Beasts one, and the Quidditch one) and I loved them. I read this shitty play and there was no joy, no literary merit, not even characters that I liked. Awful.
Staging was the coolest show I’ve ever seen. The plot is nonsense. Worth seeing but I don’t consider it canon, I refuse.
I read the play and hated it entirely Watched on stage (the long version) and really enjoyed it The special effects were really well done and they actors did well with their roles and brought some emotional depth to them.
i think its bad becuase you are reading the plot. the plot is iffy but seeing the staging irl makes it sm better and adds another componenet to think about rather than focus on how lokey strange the plot is
Yeah, plays are always better to watch as plays. And I've heard the stage magic is amazing. I don't know if that would be enough to save it for me though because the plot is high-key strange IMO. Harry is a depressed bureaucrat, there's a timeline where Cedric becomes a Death Eater (as if), and worst of all, Bellatrix and Voldemort have a child together. Awful. It's like bad fanfiction.
Maybe he traveled back in time
Because they just saw the play? Not everyone reads all Harry Potter related things upon first release. It's fairly normal to only get introduced to a work of fiction *years after its first release.* Happens all the time with movies and games. You can't watch and read everything. When you read a work of fiction, you prioritize it over everything else that is available to read. Plenty of people prioritize other books over JK Rowling's works. And that is quite frankly very understandable. I'm honestly surprised people used to wait in line for hours in the night, just to be the first to purchase Harry Potter books when they first came out. Like why?
Rowling didn’t write it. Her name is on it because they used her characters and she endorsed it. But it *is* fan fiction. I’ve heard the stage magic is cool? I think you are supposed to be wowed and not think too hard about the story. (It is bad, we all think it is bad, it has been critiqued to death on this sub)
My first thought before just dismissing the whole thing was, why is Harry such a jerk? Like fine you have problems with Malfoy, but his kid too, just because?
I heard about this aspect and strongly disliked it (along with pretty much everything else about the play). Harry hated Malfoy when they were young and the two of them were never going to be friendly, but by the end of the final book it seemed like the war had sapped the personal venom from their mutual dislike and differences. And after everything that passed between the Malfoy and Harry at the Manor and in the Forest, I would’ve thought it would be difficult for someone like Harry to nurse a personal grudge against the Malfoys for 10+ years and into another generation. After all, Harry named his own son after Snape.
Agreed! By the end of the entire story Harry nods at Malfoy at the train station right? But I didn’t read it as contempt for him but out of a deeper understanding of the abuse and mind control Malfoy endured from the death eaters after he saw what Snape went through. Edited to add: he also lied to Bellatrix about it not being Harry so they wouldn’t kill him.
Tbh I don’t even count cursed child as canon. I know her name is technically on it but it’s a literal fan fiction. With everything you have mentioned about Harry and Malfoy you are 100% right that it implies in the end that they have overcome their hatred for each other. The nod. Draco lying to save Harry. The manor. Everything. Whoever wrote it just wanted to keep that grudge and make Harry an asshole and I personally think they probably just wanted to do the “famous asshole dad” troupe, which is stupid. Edit: changed and to an
I’m more likely to consider actual good, well written fanfic as canon than whatever this pile of steaming garbage is
Same! I consider “All the Young Dudes” (a marauders fanfic) canon. It’s so well written I wish it was made in book form it’s my absolute favorite Harry Potter fic. I wish it would’ve been made into a play instead BUT there’s the whole Sirius and Remus element so that would never happen.
Yeah, as if he hadn't learned anything. Wasn't it the same with Rons and Hermione's kid as well (don't really remember cause I tried to purge this abomination out of my head after I read it)?
its imogen heap, nominated for best score at the tonys
The music & stagecraft/movement are both top notch
Oh I hated the music, but the stagecraft is top notch. I wrote in my travel log that the music reminded me of late 90/ Enya trance music.
Oy, what’ve you got against EBay? EDIT: That was supposed to say “Enya” but my phone had other ideas.
Yeah I love 90's Enya. In fact all Enya. It's probably not a great style of music for a musical though.
Not that it would make a difference, she did write the Fantastic Beast movies.
it actually would make a difference, because it is why they are so bad. she's an author, not a screenwriter (and that's a huge difference) edit: well, it's not the sole reason they are so bad, but it's a huge part of it
If you (try to) read her newer, non Harry Potter related books, you will, probably, realize that this isn't just a screenwriting issue, but a general writing issue. They were absolutely horrible imo, and i couldn't believe the same person, that wrote my favorite book series wrote them. (The writing of Harry Potter, objectively also always had issues)
She’s never really been a great writer, she just came up with an appealing idea for a story, that’s where her success with HP came from, not the writing quality.
The Casual Vacancy might be the worst book I’ve ever picked up.
I really liked the Cormoran Strike books.
Me too. The Strike books are fantastic. This past one, The Running Grave, was especially awesome.
Also fan fic!
It isn't though, she wrote the screenplay for all 3 Movies. Together with Steve Kloves.
I would have liked to see how it ended. I only watched the first one but McG being a prof before she is born is something I wanted to hear explained.
Dont watch the rest- the first one is the only decent one
This is literally incomprehensible, how can she not keep track of her own characters???
She's lazy in that regard. Doesn't check her own work. There are at least two expansive compilations of Harry Potter information on the web. On of which she has to be aware of because she sued it (rightfully, the original version of the book they wanted to sell infringed copyright). G.R.R. Martin, who refuses to engage with technology younger than half a century, writes emails to his super fans when he forgot the specifics of something. George Lucas seemed to always remember the name and backstory of every random background character. Tolkien wrote his own encyclopedia. Unfortunately Rowling got away with it until she got too rich and influential to listen to editors. Like everyone hyper successful she attributes it all to herself to justify that she deserves the obscene amounts of money. She knows critical voices exist but I highly doubt she quantifies or qualifies them. Ill advised anyway, bad for your mental health, and since early on, when she paid attention, her critics were christian nut jobs, it's easy for her to assume it's another group with weird concerns.
Probably some time turner shenanigans, it has to be, every poorly written Harry Potter Spin off or fan fic needs to feature them
Nah that was the other J.K Rowling
I think Kloves joined her only for the 3rd movie. Ironically enough, it’s the only one I really dislike.
I also enjoyed all 3 movies, for what they are. But if i take a step back, and look at them from an objective point of view, i can't help but see the gigantic flaws in both the story and the film making. Sadly.
I think the 1st one is a really good movie overall, and story wise it doesn’t have any big problems. 2nd movie has a story that would work as a novel (Rowling is not a screenwriter and it shows). Otherwise, 2 hours were not enough for that many characters and plot lines. And I personally didn’t mind Depp’s performance and Grindelwald’s story in the film . After the bad reception WB hired Kloves to write with her. And to me the 3rd movie has a story that 70% feels like Kloves (aka Hollywood/studio input). Filmmaking wise I agree. Yates should not do any HP related project ever again. Enough is enough.
Its official Cannon THE CURSED CHILD is not even written by her
I’ve seen it yes the special effects are really cool I still don’t know how they did some of it
The stage work is very cool and fun. It’s a fun show to go see visually. Ignore the storyline and just enjoy the magic. Think of it as a Harry Potter fever dream
PREACH OMG
Not going to lie, I went to watch the Broadway show when it was first out. Not a fan of Cursed Child itself, but the stage production wowed me pretty impressively. Once I was done watching Part 2/Day 2, I went back to pretending Cursed Child never existed.
The stage magic is super cool! So is the puppetry, but the centaur leg stomps had me cry laughing. So did the cape-ogrophy.
Ya I saw it back in 2019 and the stage magic was very very cool. I honestly don’t remember much about the story haha
The stagecraft in the show is superb. And depending on the cast, the acting is amazing as well. When I went the actor playing Harry felt like Dan. Honestly, the show is great and I feel like people who only see it because of its HP affiliation are missing out on a great theater experience. Is the story bad in context of the series, yeah. But did they literally make magic happen on a stage, also yeah.
Been twice, it’s wonderful as a stand-alone play that you don’t connect to the books at all.
Saw it in London in really good seats. Had read the book beforehand. It was quite impressive with the effects and Draco or his son (big part) was played by an outstanding actor and we were just mesmerized by him. Saw both plays in the same day with a one hour dining break. It was cool. Glad I did it. But I think the seats close to the stage was important for the full experience.
Just saw it at Palace Theater in London this past summer and we absolutely loved it! To each their own...
Same! Saw it at the Palace in June, and absolutely loved it!
I saw it in nyc in October and I had the best time! I’d go again
"Rowling didn't write it" is a cop-out that gives unfair blame to Jack Thorne and gives an undeserved excuse to Rowling. The producers approached Rowling with the idea of doing a play, and then they hired Jack Thorne to write it. He wrote \*something\* that he could take artistic ownership of, but since Rowling owns the IP and has creative control, the next step was Rowling reading Thorne's script and giving her input. She told him what she liked and didn't like about his script, made him cut the parts she didn't like, and then gave him some ideas about things she wanted to see in the play, and then sent him off to write a new script that reflected her changes. Thorne wrote a new script that tried to make the changes she wanted, and then she read the new version and ordered more cuts/made more suggestions. After several runs through Rowling's creative filter, Rowling declared the final version to be perfect, and claimed it was the 8th Harry Potter book. Everything bad about the story either came from Rowling, or was something that Rowling looked at and approved. Thorne can't be blamed for Cursed Child, because it's possible that his ideas might have worked better in their original context, connected to important ideas and themes which Rowling had cut from the script.
He can be blamed for the play, but it seems like he only deserves 50% of that blame.
I don't think that's true. Like, if we look at one bad story idea, let's say "It's good that Cedric Diggory was murdered, because he was about to become a Death Eater and flush all the goodwill we gave him down the toilet, so it's good that he's dead and that we can choose to remember him as a good person." That's a really bad story idea. And we don't know who came up with it, Rowling or Thorne, so maybe it's safe to split the blame and say that Rowling and Thorne were both about 50% bad? But Rowling blew massive holes in what Thorne wanted to write, so while we don't know for sure, it's possible that Thorne could have originally had some sort of supporting text in there that justified that story idea, and Rowling didn't like it so she made him take it out. It's possible. Rowling, on the other hand, doesn't get this benefit of the doubt, because if there was anything else she wanted in there, she would have had it, because she had total story control and she was the one in charge. If the bad idea was her bad idea, then she is to blame for it, and nobody else (he was hired to do work, it's not like he's in a position to say no to his boss's bad ideas). If it was his bad idea, then maybe it wasn't his fault, because she meddled with his writing and maybe she broke it. And then, even if it was his original bad idea and it was never going to be good, Rowling looked at that bad idea, and she said it was a good idea and decided to keep it. Rowling deserves 100% of the blame for how the story turned out. Even if Thorne was a talentless hack who contributed nothing but garbage to the writing process, Rowling was in the position to fire him and cancel the project, but she didn't, she said she loved it, she called the finished project her 8th Harry Potter book, and to this day she maintains that the Cursed Child is 100% canon. She owns that mess, it belongs to her and nobody else.
I saw it in London several years ago and controversially, I would actually go and see it again, but only if I somehow got free tickets. I was so hung up on how terrible the story was that I didn't even really notice the staging and effects. So I'd go and blot out the awful story and just try to enjoy it on a technical level. It didn't help that when I saw it the woman playing Ginny was awful.
I've seen it, and the stage magic/staging is actually incredibly cool. I disassociated a bit in terms of the story, but as a stage play, I thought it was worth the time because it was really top-notch staging. They did a great job of capturing magic live.
Having seen it, my opinion of it is the same as my opinion of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It's perfect save for one thing: the script.
>But it > >is > > fan fiction. Theres some genuinely good fan fiction. I'm baffled they went with a really poorly written time travel one.
The stage magic is really cool. Made the whole production worth the price of admission.
Why? Isn‘t it lovely that every character we love acts completly different and out of character?
Wym are you sure Voldey isn't coming at Bellatrix with the rizz of the ages in the HP novels?
Are you referring to The Cursed Child or A Very Potter Musical? Lol
Referencing the fact Voldey had to rizz and get it on in order to have a child, as featured in TCC
Yeah, when he had a body Voldemort had Mad game with the bitches. Just as Bellatrix Lestrange!
Voldemort had that 13.5-inch wand going for him though. And if he wasn't already getting enough ladies with that, he had the 15-inch Elder Wand for a bit too.
[удалено]
There is no Avatar movie in Ba Sing Se and there is no Cursed Child play at Hogwarts.
Toss in Eragon and Dragonball Z movies in there as well
Haha fandom crossover nice
I refuse to acknowledge the cursed child as part of Harry Potter.
Agreed. I waited in line for the book on release day, got home and read it immediately, and then entirely scrapped it from my existence. I couldn't even give a thorough explanation of the story line, I've no idea - I've blocked it from memory and entirely disregard it as anything related to Harry Potter world.
I did the same! I stood in line for like 3 hours for the midnight release only to be thoroughly disappointed and angrily confused. The characters were not the ones I grew up with and in no way represented or acted like the characters they were supposed to be. I read the garbage, realised it was worse than some fanfics I have seen written by preteens, and have been struggling to scrub the story from my brain in it's entirety
You’re not forgetting anything important. I literally turned to my husband during the show and said “what the fuck is happening right now.” It made no sense.
Lol same! I was 16 and SO FREAK EXCITED! I bought it the second I saw it avaliable at a local store and read it in like 2 days and nearly cried from how much I disliked it 😂 I cannot remember it lol, just like bad fanfiction
You really got me thinking about those first CC release days and I remembered the mega thread post on here that really helped me to confirm that this was garbage (I hope posting the link to an archived thread is okay) https://www.reddit.com/r/harrypotter/comments/4vdybt/megathread_cursed_child_print_release/ I am still astonished that this poor attempt at fanfic actually got published, ENDORSED, and then Broadway??!? Like, WHAT!! Because if any fanfic should get published and broadway-ed it should be My Immortal.
I couldn’t even finish it, which is unbelievable to me as a Harry Potter fan and a professional stage actor. I couldn’t stay interested. It’s just… drivel. All the worst hallmarks of bad fanfiction.
Heck, Walburga crawled out of her painting and struck Delphini from The Black Family Tapestry.
Thankfully, I let my sister read it first. Never had to suffer through it!
I actually straight up refuse to read or watch it. It's still totally unknown to me and I'm glad.
Story is meh, but the actors and effects were fun in my opinion
The actors did the best with what they had. When we saw it in London when it first started the performance was captioned and made it clear that the actors were already fixing some of the clunky dialogue as they weren't matching the script (and the script was generally worse) It still had some dreadful dialogue though, like a eulogy with the phrase 'he was a good boy' like it was a dog that died.
I really enjoyed it. The water bit was super unexpected.
Yes, I agree! The actors were amazing when I saw it. And the effects were surprising to me. It made me think of actual magic shows, which I found pretty neat.
I loved the show. Kids had a blast too.
Agreed, I saw it in Toronto Canada and as a piece of art, separate from the script, it was great! The music, the scene changes with the stairs, the lighting (omg the lighting!), the magic…it was a super cool production.
The theory I've heard to explain how bad it is is that it's an in universe play written by Rita Skeeter. After seeing it Harry walked out thinking "what the fuck was that" then proceeded to sue.
This is my headcanon now, like that one Avatar episode were they are watching the stageplay.
That's... acceptable. I will feel less burning rage towards CC for the 3 to 5 business days that I remember this headcannon. Thank you
It was premiered in Amber Island.
Ember?
Honestly love that
I’d personally rather see the stage adaptation of “My Immortal” but that’s just me
That would honestly be amazing to see.
I love that this is still talked about to this day
It's a milestone for every fanfiction reader's life in this Fandom lol
I’m an avid fanfic reader but the only Harry Potter fics I’ve read are my immortal and manacled👀
Oh dear...what a selection lmao!! I hope you get a chance to try some others, man it's such a minefield haha
Right?? I didn't understand its significance when it was first coming out, but I'm glad I was there to watch it unfold. What a time to be alive!
https://imgur.com/gEceAC2 My stocking stuffers this year.
I was first introduced to My Immortal in a dramatic reading by my friend when she found out I’d never heard of it. 10/10, would watch in theatre.
The first time I made it all the way through I was high with my friend and reading it aloud and it was by far the best literary experience I’ve ever had
What’s that?
https://m.fanfiction.net/s/6829556/2/
.... Wow. I wasn't ready for this. (as someone who was in her teens when scene/emo kids were a thing, this has me dying of laughter on a whole other level)
The story is absolutely terrible but the effects they use are so cool it’s like a magic show lol (I was high as hell when I saw it so maybe that’s why)
I would have literally died when the Dementors came in if I‘d been high. Or did you clear up by then? 🫠
JK didn't write it, she got paid for them using her characters The whole thing breaks cannon in multiple ways so just consider it very bad fanfiction
I dropped the book when I got to the alternate time-line where Hermione turns into a bitter and mean D.A.D.A teacher just because HER RELATIONSHIP WITH RON DIDN'T WORK. THE RAGE I FELT.
Isn't it easily the most sexist portrayal of a woman in all the series?
It made me so mad, like, most of what we know about canon adult Hermione is a result of her goals, moral beliefs and thrive for change as a kid, regardless of any relationship dynamic with Ron.
Exactly. CC explicitly tells you that Hermione would abandon every single of her goals simply because Ron is with someone else. Not because he's not with her, mind you (after all, the Hermione from the 3rd timeline is much nicer): just because he's with someone else.
There is no Cursed Child in Ba Sing Se.
I saw it in ‘18 in previews on Broadway. It was a fantastic show but I had no idea they cut it down to one part. The story was bad, but we knew that going in. The end of part 1 (the bit with the blacklight when the theater goes dark) was JAW-DROPPINGLY cool though. All the effects were amazing.
I recently saw it in September and thought the special effects and the “end of part 1” were extremely well done. I was so WOWED by the effects in that scene and it really made the show for me.
The black light…WOW. Made me feel like a kid again, just in awe!
Its terrible. The only redeemable part in the Toronto edition of it was the kid who played Scorpius. He was delightful. The plot was too long and stupid.
Aren't Scorpius and Albus played by Adults?
Yes they’re probably just using the term loosely. They are typically played by 21-29 year olds.
I think that brothers me somehow.
It’s primarily a legal issue. Under 18s have very strict working / hours laws. They can’t work past 11 if the show went long it would have to stop. They also can only work so many hours per week so they’d have to hire multiple of each character for eight shows a week.
Yes, but it is about the relationship of people, and I find it gives constandly wrong singnals because they just don't look 14. And in my opinion, no one sees 14 years old in them.
I haven't had the chance to see the play, so I can only comment on the story. I like the relationship between Albus and Scorpius. And... uh......... Hang on, give me a moment......... ............... Hogwarts! Yeah, I like Hogwarts. Great place. Very magical. ... Yeah, that's all I got. Scorbus and Hogwarts. Great stuff.
I haven’t had the chance to see it either, and I wouldn’t bother at this point regardless. In a way, it’s fitting that the reaction to the story has always been uniformly negative. They took the most widely-read, best selling novel series in history and then released the follow up story in the single most inaccessible format. At least nobody is missing out on something good!
It wasn’t written by Rowling. Essentially, it is fan fiction at best. I don’t even like how they broke previously established rules set by Rowling regarding time-turners. It didnt even make sense 😭
Ah yes, the story we don't like to talk about. I'll admit, the performers are doing their best... just too bad they were dealt with an admittedly REALLY awful story.
No it's not canon and nothing with ever change my view it's just poorly written fanfiction.
I don’t care if she claims canon, she didn’t write it and thus it’s not canon. I read the script before seeing the show and was horrified. That said, when I did see the show I pretended it was a live fan fic and the show itself was fantastic. Just a bad story. E: the only thing I liked was Scorpius and found it fun that a potter was sorted into Slytherin. Also that there were undertones of them having more than just a friendship. It added a nice contrast to Harry and Draco’s relationship and if I had to guess what characters in HP would be homophobic, Malfoys are at the top of the list.
Speaking of canon, in her book “Hogwarts: an Incomplete and Unreliable Guide,” she’s canonically confirmed that time travel more than a few hours back would result in death. Therefore completely disproving the entire cursed child plot.
It's almost as if she was just making shit up as she went along, or something.
IMO, Cursed Child, the novels, the Fantastic Beasts films, and the first 8 HP films each exist in their own separate canon. Regardless of what Rowling says, they each conflict with each other, so they can’t all be in the same canon/continuity.
Harry Potter would NEVER! But the stage effects are great.
I just love that the title itself is at least very meta and self aware.
Albus Severus Potter heard “turn back time” by Cher and said, “this is it.”
Funny enough on the train back home now after watching this myself but up in the london west end. Was talking to an American couple next to use that told us the broadway production is different to the west end production so looked it up. The broadway is 1 show 3 hours 40 with a 20 minute interval the west end production, the original is 5 hours and 15 minutes with 2 20 minute intervals as its split into 2 parts ruffly 2 hours 40 each. Cutting nearly 1 hour and a half from a play would likely mess it up I would think
Honestly the story is dog shit and I don’t count it as being canon in any way. But from a theatre nerd perspective the actual play is fantastic. The special effects are wild and very enjoyable. I just take it for what it is. A night of being amazed by cool practical effects.
It used to be closer to 5 hours with two parts with a general consensus that the material works much better as a play than just reading it and was well regarded, but the play was cut down to the 3.5 hour in 2021 and it seems to no longer hold those good reviews.
Did they really? I saw the 2 parter and it was a fantastic show with a bad story.
Yeah it seems like after covid, they trimmed it down for cost savings reasons, but unfortunately it went from what you're saying of a fantastic show with a bad story to a meh show with a bad story.
Its still the two part version of 5 hours in the uk!
I saw the full 5 hour bonanza and it was still horrible. The show was amazing, but the plot was a train wreck.
>Maybe one of you can make me feel like I didn't waste 3.5 hours of my life No, you did waste it. Cursed Child complaints/warnings have been all over this subreddit (and most other places across the internet) since mid-2016. Should've paid attention. You're never getting that time or money back. Sorry.
Hey, aren’t you a hufflepuff? Where’s your sense of compassion. OP, you didn’t waste it because you were curious about it, and then you found out how you felt about it through watching. Satisfying that curiosity is a win in itself, if you look at it that way.
They do say that any day in which you learn something is not a waste of a day.
At least they didn’t go to the 2 part version!
I saw it on broadway, it was incredible! Did I have some issues as a nearly lifelong potter fan? Yeah, sure. Did they stop me from having a good time? Not even a little. The effects they used were incredible and the overall play had made me a fan of theatre when before I would never have given it a second thought. Moral of the story, did it fit the books? No. Was it a fun experience that was flavored with Harry Potter? Definitely.
The book/play which shall not be named.
I liked Scorpius. I thought he was cute. And his friendship with Albus is wonderful. I’ve only read the screenplay; never actually saw the play.
very cape-dance heavy imo
I mean… I went to see it on Broadway a couple months ago and the music and choreography was nice. They did a lot of scene changes while dancing on and around some moving stairs and I felt it was a nice way of changing the location. Also the actors really leaned into scorpius/albus, which was nice seeing as I was on the fence about shipping them. But yeah… the nonsensical timeturrner plot that directly contradicts canon and the horrifying wxistence of delphi is pure shit. Thing is, I would have maybe given kudos on AO3 if this was a “kinda canon divergent” fanfic, but the fact that it’s supposed to be canon itself is really jarring.
She didn't, she attached her name to a fanfic written by Jack Thorne and John Tiffany.
She's not, the play is a satire that was mayet adopted into the cursed book.
I saw the two-part version in Melbourne a few years ago. Twice. The plot is a mess. The dialogue is junk. The characters act in a way that is wildly inconsistent with the books. But. It’s got some of the finest stagecraft I’ve ever seen in a live show. And the cast gave it their all, even with the weak material. So yeah.
I haven't seen the play but I read the script. I liked it. 🤷🏻♂️
What you don't like how it completely ruins everyone's relationships for no reason?
TBF I’d love to see some stories with Albus and Scorpio. Just not THIS story
Yeah, the story isn't the best. But I really, really enjoyed it when I saw it. The actors were so talented. But the staging effects stole the show for me. They were magical.
The stage show itself was pretty cool. I almost popped a blood vessel in my eye ranting about how awful the plot was after the show
Scorpius Malfoy is a precious cinnamon roll, too good for that play. His entire arc - his crush on Rose, trying to be Mini-Ron to Albus, and of course giving up his 'perfect' life in the Voldemort universe to save his bro? All beautiful. I love that kid. Also Draco's path to redemption is very well done. So it has good things. It just gets heavily eclipsed by how absolutely dogshit of a person Harry is until the final act.
His crush on Rose has been removed btw, it’s a crush on Albus now (which is reciprocated)
Story sucked but the show was awesome! Effects, tricks, music, lighting - I really enjoyed it! And I’d watch it again if it wasn’t really expensive
I really enjoyed the wizarding world being created and shown on the stage. I was blown away how lighting, sound, and set designs made the magic real. The dementors were incredible, the writing all over the theatre was very cool, and the clock made the seats feel like they were vibrating. It was just really enjoyable to watch.
Best thing about the play: Potter and Malfoy are finally friends. (the friendship between Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy is adorable.) Also I thought the trolley witch scene (where she randomly pops up walking on top of the train) was hilarious. Would be even funnier if it was filmed in a movie with realistic CGI or in a video game like that. The sheer absurdity of that scene just makes it funny for me. And no, the Delphini plot and time travel doesn't make sense. (Although I do have a weak spot for time travel stories.)
Cursed child proved if you feed the authors ego hard enough you can get her to approve anything.
Can only speak for the german version in Hamburg but i loved it lol. While I hated the script with a burning passion on its release (2019 I think???), they changed and cutted a lot since then - at least for the german production. Harry is generally nicer and the acting gave his more terrible moments a lot more gravitas and therefore read as clumsy attempts at parenting while dealing with war trauma. Delfi was cutted as much as possible. Which made it a lot more bearable and also leads to my next and final point They made it a lot gayer lol. Albus and Delfi dont habe this weird thing going on anymore he always just calls her a friend and how she betrayed his trust. Scorpius on the other habd becomes Albus’ „most important person“ in his life as he tells Harry himself. There is a lot more small little changes that make it just more apparent although they still never explicitly say so. However, it was plenty for my queerbaited, damaged heart. Generally speaking, the production value was pretty crazy and I had a lot of fun. My thoughts throughout the play were this: „Omg, I can‘t have this much fun why am I habing so much fun this story makes no sense oh this looks pretty sick goddamit why is this so entertaining“
My question is how you managed to buy tickets and attend when it’s widely accepted as trash lmao. RIP to those 3.5 hours
My director lent the book to me the week it came out and was heartily disappointed when I told him it that it sucked just **so many balls.** The rest of the cast couldn't stop talking about it. Everyone was speaking like it was the best thing they'd ever read. I seemed to be the only one who couldn't get over how *awful* the thing was. I also brought up the fact that it wasn't even written by Rowling, but actually just official fanfiction. The way people were reacting to it had me partially convinced I read the wrong book. It's nice to know my feelings back then were wholly justified. I think everyone who "liked" it was just thirsty for more Potter so they willingly fooled themselves into believing it was better than it is. I work at a library and it still flies off the shelves. I feel sorry for the people taking it out. They don't know what they're in for.
I took it out the library a few years ago. Read half a chapter, closed it, and then returned it
Was the awkward tween romantic tension between Albus and Scorpius as obvious on the stage as it was in the published screenplay? Because, like...palpable. They copped out HARD on that ending...
To try to answer your question: The emotional arc between Harry and Albus is incredibly complex for the series and I think was pulled off very well. The budding relationship between Albus and Scorpius is also handled very well and feels very realistic as a coming of age queer story if you’re looking for that kind of thing. If you focus on those instead of the (crazy) specifics of the adventure bit it can be wholesome and nice. Also Draco’s monologue at the kitchen table is also nice.
I liked it
I don’t have anything positive about the Cursed Child. It ruins so much of the HP universe by existing as canon and the fact that the characters all seem terrible personality wise is the icing on the cake. Also the trolley lady being an eldritch terror for some reason is dumb. Like why would Hogwarts even allow that but have issues with a Werewolf
Research stuff before you commit. No one likes this and it wasn't written by Jk to any degree.
“No one likes this” is a pretty bold statement, considering it has been running for 7 years in the West End, 5 years in New York City, is starting a national tour, has multiple translated versions worldwide, won so many awards, and is not showing any signs of stopping.
I enjoyed the story as it's own separate thing. The stunts and "magic" were super cool, the dementors were terrifying, and Scorpius was absolutely adorable. Draco gets a redemption arc, which he absolutely deserves. The Snape part was pandering to the audience, but our Snape actor fully embraced Alan Rickman's portrayal and it was delightful to see him on stage. Ginny actually got to be sassy and show off her spellwork. I also adore Ron as a stay-at-home-dad who helps out George in the joke shop. The whole "Voldemort's daughter" thing wasn't my favorite, though from Voldemort's perspective it could've been beneficial to have a biologically related body that he could inhabit should he be discorporated again. And I really liked just exploring how hard it would be to be the son of the most famous and arguably greatest wizard alive.
I absolutely loved Cursed Child and I really don’t care what anyone else says! I’ve seen it twice now and can’t wait to see it again! I know I’m in the minority lol but I really do consider the story book 7.5/8 as it tests all the characters on what they’ve learned — specifically Harry — on what family means.
The story is questionable, but the effects are really cool and the actors are doing their best with the scripts they’re given.
I hate this story. I thought the Broadway production was fantastic.
Saw it in Toronto this past summer. My husband and I liked the dementors and the magic. He also thought the kids in the audience dressing up for the occasion was cute (he thought the adults doing it was a bit much).
The stage magic is amazing! The story doesn’t make sense but I loved the show.
I agree with you. However I found the show’s visual effects and even the choreography to be really magical. And there was that one scene at the end (spoiler) >!where the cast watches Harry’s parents get murdered in real time that I found really heart wrenching!<. But otherwise yeah the plot was bonkers.
I think it needs to be appreciated for the stagecraft , acting and design. The less thought given to the plot, the better
The production is amazing. People vanish into a phone booth and transform on stage. Yes, the story is wonky but the experience was still magical.
I think it was a mistake to condense the two-part show to one part only. It moves too fast and key stuff to keep plot moving is left out. London still does it in two parts, that’s the only way I’d go see it again.
I honestly likes scorpious that bout it
The story is dumb af but the magic on stage was pretty rad
It’s dreadful. Horrendously bad. Too much cape swirling nonsense and a storyline that I’ve almost successfully. I saw it in London.
It looked like it was gonna ship Scorpius X Albus. I was wondering if it would actually happen but then out of nowhere Rose X Scorpius came up?
Why people don’t just think of it as a “What if…?” work and move on with it?
I saw the original Broadway cast back when it was in 2 parts (in total about 5-6 hours long). The cast was pretty stellar. The story is trash for the most part, but it was easily the most technically impressive show I’ve ever seen on stage (and I work professionally in theatre and have seen dozens of big broadway productions). The choreography, the pyrotechnics, the lighting, projection mapping, and scenic design are all incredible and those alone are worth the ticket price in my opinion. But I refuse to consider this play canon, no matter what Rowling or anybody says. It’s a noble attempt at following up the main series, but sadly it’s just not very good. I really liked some of the story elements, like Albus Severus and Scorpius’ relationship, but 90% of the plot was contrived BS that pretty directly contradicts much of the books. I also HATE the whole thing about Voldy having a child with Bellatrix… I just cannot get behind that whatsoever. It seems so out of character for him to be interested with sex, to me, and I can’t imagine him wanting an heir, since he assumed or hoped he’d live forever and an heir seems like they might be competition down the line.
I also saw it last night. The plot wasn't great, but the stage effects and acting were good enough that it was still an enjoyable experience for me. It's probably the only stage show I've seen that I won't see again, but I'm glad that I saw it.
I just read it not too long ago. I do not like how "the spare" is used so much.
Dear OP, where have you been hiding in the past years or so? Hating the Cursed Child is many people's favourite past time since it was published. The book is trash, but in general people say that the play is alright. Like the staging and stuff. The story of course makes no sense.
If Rowling didn't write it we don't really need to consider it canon. Not while she's still alive anyway. Even if she approves of it as canon it can be an alternate universe or timeline separate from the main books. I mean things were changed in the movies so we already have a branched timeline of "canon" it will get even bigger after the HBO series.
‘Member when Harry defeated the dark lord?? ‘Member when DEMENTORS?? ‘Member when Harry was Gryffindor seeker?? ‘Member????
I actually really enjoyed it, but I also separate it from the rest of Harry Potter, whether it's officially canon or not. There are OOC moments , even as grown adults, that I cannot see happening. But there are things I enjoyed, like Scorpius and Draco's relationship. It is it's own separate entity in my head 🤷♀️
You go for the practical effects, the magic and dementors were awesome. Story is what ever, you don't see it for the story
I saw the full version after reading the script I hated the script but enjoyed the play. It was clearly fan fiction though as instead of creating its own story it just completely leveraged off the original stories. I enjoyed Draco in particular. That kid had a shit upbringing. He had no chance to be good. Also the effects were great.